Date:  Wed, 26 Jun 1996 10:37:55 -0700

From:  Peter McGraw <pmcgraw[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]CALVIN.LINFIELD.EDU>

Subject: Re: Fwd: Re: Chicago pronc



Interesting! I never heard a "ch" pronunciation from anyone except

foreigners who, I reasoned, could be forgiven for not knowing any better.



One question: Can either the "ch" or the "sh" pronunciation be followed by

either the schwa or the high front vowel, or are the combinations

restricted in any way? (Chi-, shi- and sh[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]- all sound plausible to me,

whereas ch[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]- feels awkward.)



Peter McGraw

Linfield College

McMinnville, OR





On Tue, 25 Jun 1996, Thomas J. Creswell wrote:



> -- [ From: Thomas J. Creswell * EMC.Ver #2.5.02 ] --

>

> Beth Simon,

>

> I goofed and responded to your query about the pronunciation of Chicago

> directly to you. I meant to post it on ads-l.

>

> Herewith

>

> Tom Creswell

> ------- FORWARD, Original message follows -------

>

> > Date: Monday, 24-Jun-96 11:52 AM

> >

> > From: Thomas J. Creswell    \ Internet:  (creswell[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]crown.net)

> > To:  simon[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]CVAX.IPFW.INDIANA.EDU \ Internet:  (simon[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]cvax.ipfw.indiana.

> edu)

> >

> > Subject: Re: Chicago pronc

> >

> > Beth,

> >

> > The pronunciation of _Chicago_ like that of many place names, is subject

> to a

> > number of variations.

> >

> > 1. The initial consonant cluster is either "ch" as in _chew_ or "sh" as

> in

> > _shoo_. The first Mayor Daley (Richard J.) was a consistent "ch"

> pronouncer,

> > as were many working class people of Irish origin in his generation. For

> > instance, a Chicago cop would most likely be a "ch" pronouncer. Some of

> the

> > descendants of this group preserve this initial sound.

> >

> > 2. The first syllable vowel may be either like the _i_ in _hit_, or a

> schwa.

> >

> > 3. The second syllable vowel varies from "open o" as in _law_ and a short

> "a"

> > as in _cat_. In this syllable, many gradations occur, anything between

> the two

> > extremes. Old time native Chicagoans usually have the open o vowel,

> unless

> > they come from a northwest side neighborhood settled by Swedes and Germans

> .

> > Long time residents, whether white, African American, or Hispanic have a

> strong

> > tendency to the _aw_ sound. Newer arrivals to the city tend toward the

> short

> > "a" sound.

> >

> > 4. The initial consonant of the second syllable is, in some

> pronunciations,

> > voiced, so that it sounds, in rapid speech like a hard g

> > rather than a k. The reason for this is obvious--preceding and following

> > voicing.

> >

> > 5. The final vowel varies between a long o as in _so_ or _go_ and a schwa

> > sound. Again, the first Mayor Daley had the schwa sound for this vowel.

> >

> > No. You are not alone in the "sh" initial consonant sound. I, and many

> others

> > share it with you.

> >

> > Tom Creswell

>

> ------- FORWARD, End of original message -------

>